A1 · Episode 11 · 1:38
The crow and the cheese
A crow holds a piece of cheese in his beak while perched on a tree; a fox, enticed by the smell, approaches him.
Source：Eric Fitoussi · License：CC BY 3.0
Transcript
Le corbeau et le renard.
The Crow and the Fox.
maître corbeau sur un arbre perché tenait en son bec un fromage maître renard par
Master Crow, perched upon a tree, held a cheese in his beak; Master Fox, lured by the scent, said to him:
l'odeur alléché lui tint à peu près ce langage
spoke to him in nearly these words:
eh bonjour monsieur du corbeau que vous êtes joli que vous me semblez beau sans
Hey, good day, Mr. Crow! How handsome you are, how beautiful you seem to me—no exaggeration—
mentir si votre ramage se rapporte à votre plumage vous êtes le phénix des hôtes de
if your song matches your plumage, you are the phoenix among the birds of these woods.
ces bois à ces mots le corbeau ne se sent pas de joie
At these words, the crow felt overjoyed,
et pour montrer sa belle voix il ouvre un large bec laisse tomber sa proie le renard
and to show off his fine voice, he opened his wide beak, letting his prey drop—the fox
s'en saisit et dit mon bon monsieur apprenez que tout flatteur vit aux dépens de
seized it and said, “Dear sir, learn this: every flatterer lives at the expense of”
celui qui l'écoute Cette leçon vaut bien un fromage, sans doute.
the one who listens to him. This lesson is surely worth a cheese.”
Le corbeau, honteux et confus, Jura mais un peu tard qu'on ne l'y prendrait plus.
The crow, ashamed and embarrassed, swore—but a bit too late—that he’d never be fooled again.
Jean de La Fontaine.
Jean de La Fontaine.